The good news is that the fantasy genre is not just dragons and elves. Now more than ever, the fantasy genre is an exciting one where we are seeing more and more worlds that are being populated by fascinating, non-Western characters and magical systems. We are encountering more books by writers who aren’t cis, straight white men, more books that are fast reads or good love stories, books that are genre-bending and folkloric, or soft and character-based. I’ve gathered 10 of those amazing books here. And guess what? None of them are the start to a series. All of these standalone fantasy books, I’m happy to report, are one and done. You can dive into an Africanfuturist post-apocalyptic world. Puzzle over a mystery noir spin on a magical school by a nonbinary author. Walk through a lush, late-night circus, or listen to soul-stirring music powered by forbidden magic. These standalone fantasy books are some of my own all-time favorites, and each provides an excellent gateway into the world of modern fantasy, a world of daring stories, unbelievable magical systems, and vivid worldbuilding. Enjoy!
Standalone Fantasy Books for Beginners
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of standalone fantasy books. Want more fantasy recommendations? Check out this list of 20 must-read feel-good fantasies, discover the best fantasy books that you’ve never heard of, or dig into books inspired by AAPI folklore or by Latine authors. The fast-paced novella is equal parts action film and meditation on racist hate, and as a bonus, it’s deeply saturated with Black folklore and magic. It’s just 192 pages, which makes it a speedy read! This is a rich and complex fantasy novel informed by a variety of fairy tales, from Rumpelstiltskin to Cinderella to the myth of Hades and Persephone. It’s written beautifully and brings together a series of narratives to create a really vivid and wonderful tale. Okorafor’s world of masquerades, sand and storm, spiders, female friendship, and more, all creates a devastating and wonderful story. This book once embarrassed me by making me cry really hard on a plane. You’ve been warned. This is Gailey’s first novel, and their writing is fantastic, delving into sisterhood, into the ways that magic would and wouldn’t change who people are, into discovering what we’re capable of. A really great mystery, funny with a gut punch of a good ending. It’s a fast read with a fantastic portrayal of a true female friendship, some realistic feeling romance, and a really beautifully described magical system. This surrealist novel depicts an older couple living their lives in the harsh, icy, glittering world of Alaska, who one day shape a child out of snow. The characters feel very real, and the book is a really great story about relationships, friendships, survival, and family, making this a great introduction to fantastical stories for people who have been reading more contemporary and historical fiction. This is a modern classic that Butler described as “a kind of grim fantasy.” Dana has to figure out how to survive in the antebellum South as an educated Black woman for unpredictable periods of time. It’s a frightening novel that digs into privilege, power, and the historical horrors of slavery. If you like graphic novels, there is also an illustrated version adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings. They travel through a lushly described 1920s Mexico, from the Yucatán up to Mexico City and onward, pursued by Casiopea’s cruel cousin Martín. The world is fun and the pace moves quickly — the book has the mood of a classic fairy tale retelling, paired up with a whirl of Mayan myth.
